Dangers of lead in venison

The following are excerpted from the official summary of a seven-state conference on the potential dangers of lead in venison. While no link has been made between deer killed with lead and any human illness, state health, game and agriculture departments are studying the issue, and in the meantime, these are the reminders they're issuing for hunters, people who consume venison, and meat processors.

Hunters

• Lead particles found in hunter-harvested venison have not been linked to any illnesses.

• Lead is a neurotoxin but toxicity depends on the level and frequency of exposure. It is particularly harmful to children 6 and younger and pregnant women.

• Lead can have physiological effects on human bodies and brains at levels below that which would cause any noticeable signs of sickness.

• The following guidelines and suggestions can eliminate or reduce and minimize the potential risk of consuming lead fragments, depending on the risk tolerance of the hunter.

• Consider alternatives to ammunition that is prone to fragment  these alternatives could include non-lead (copper) or other high-weight retention ammunition.

• Lead particles in venison will likely be too small to detect by sight, feel, or when chewing the meat.

• If you process your own meat, do not use deer with excessive shot damage. Trim a generous distance away from the wound channel and discard any meat that is bruised, discolored or contains hair, dirt, bone fragments or grass.

Meat processors
• There is a high likelihood that any deer shot with a firearm using lead ammunition will contain lead particles.

• Use care when selecting meat for grinding. Do not use deer with excessive shot damage. Trim a generous distance away from the bullet wound channel and discard any meat that is bruised, discolored or contains hair, dirt, bone fragments or grass.

• Lead is a neurotoxin but toxicity depends on the level and frequency of exposure. It is particularly harmful to children 6 and younger and pregnant women. Care should be taken to minimize any contamination.

• Lead can have physiological effects on human bodies and brains at levels below that which would cause any noticeable signs of sickness.